Strengthening Your Core After Injury

27 Feb Strengthening Your Core After Injury

Many individuals suffer some form of lower back pain or stiffness at one or more points in their lives. This is the unfortunate truth. However, with the proper tools and education, you can prevent and treat this back pain in the future. At the Injury Care Center, we specialize in treating individuals involved in various accidents, including motor vehicle, work place, and personal injury. Often times, these mechanisms of injury will lead to subsequent lower back issues. With a team of experts, we can assist you with recovery and prevention of your injuries. Often times, the ideal of “six-pack” abs float through the shelves on magazine covers and portray an ideal that we all think means “strong core”. However, the truth is, you do not need to have the often times out of reach expectation of looking like an Olympic athlete to be strong. In fact, most people do not even realize that to have a strong core includes training the muscles of the back, stomach, hips, and gluteal region. At the Injury Care Center, we have the knowledge, insight, and motivational approach to help you achieve the optimal fitness level post injury.

One of the most common injuries associated with a work incident or motor vehicle accident is lower back pain. This pain can be caused by a sprain, a strain, or something more serious, such as a herniated disc or other spinal injury. In the steps to recovery, after addressing the pain and possible flexibility or range of motion impairments, we will tackle the care strength issues that may plague you. Some individuals become intimidated or even frightened by the idea of “strengthening your core”. The picture that pops into many people’s minds is something like one thousand sit ups or crunches. However, we can attest that the best way to increase strength in the core region does not even involve a sit up. In the next few paragraphs, I will discuss several important core exercises that will give you an idea of what type of program and education you may receive here, at the Injury Care Center.

Focusing on the hip and gluteal region, one of the best core exercises is a bridge. To perform this exercise, we will instruct you to lay on a firm surface on your back, bending your knees, and planting your feet shoulder width apart on the surface. Once you attain the starting position, the next step will be to tighten your core by “sucking” your belly button in towards your spine. A key point here, is that you will need to do this WITHOUT holding your breath. Once again, our trained experts can assist you with achieving this process. Subsequently, you will lift your gluteal region off of the table, floor, or mat, holding that position for approximately 3-5 seconds, then lowering slowly back to the original starting position. You will proceed to perform about twenty to thirty repetitions of this exercise.

Another great core exercise is referred to as quadruped alternating upper extremity and lower extremity or bird-dog. In this exercise, you will get into a quadruped position, or one where you are on hands and knees on a comfortable surface. Once again, you will be instructed to tighten your core and control your breathing. The motions that follow will be to lift your right arm and left leg simultaneously. Slowly lower them back to the ground and perform the same movements with the left arm and right leg. The goal is to maintain a steady posture without leaning significantly to one side or the other. Normally, we will ask you to perform anywhere from 15 to 30 repetitions of this exercise.

To attack the anterior or front core region, a suggested exercise would be plank. You can perform this exercise in the traditional fashion, or a modified fashion depending on your current physical capability. In the traditional motion, you will begin on your stomach with your elbows at the side of your body and arms bent. Subsequently, you will lift your body off the ground. The points of contact will be your toes and forearms. The goal is to maintain a straight body frame without swaying or letting your pelvis drop towards the ground. Once you attain the position, the goal will be to hold yourself off the floor for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this exercise 5-10 times depending on how long you can hold your body up. To modify the position, place your knees on the floor. This may be performed should you experience lower back pain in the traditional form. One more key core exercise would be what is called a super-man exercise. In this exercise, you again begin on your stomach and proceed to lift both arms and both legs off of the ground. This will tighten and strength the back muscles. Hold the position for several seconds, then slowly lower to the floor. Repeat that sequence 10-30 times pending your fatigue and any symptoms. These exercises are just a few of a wide range that our experienced medical professionals will teach and train you in.

Let us be the facility that introduces you to a new way of core strengthening in the process of recovery from injury.

Karl Russo

www.injurycarecenter.net

If you would like us to evaluate your injury, please call: 877-444-2422.